'But I want to give our young lads every opportunity to do well. That is what this club is about. We still need competition for places, but I think the players we have here are starting to believe in themselves.'

Davis himself and central defensive partner Matt Bradbury were outstanding at Jackson Avenue, and provided a platform which saw the Dabbers make the breakthrough on 12 minutes.

Blake laid the ball off for Neil O'Brien. His lofted ball was looped over the advancing keeper, Martin Campbell, by Santus's flick header.

Trafford almost equalised straight away when Colin Bulwich's bullet header bounced off the Nantwich bar, before town's Paul Rutter flashed a shot across the face of the goal. Blake hit the bar before teammate Richard Pullar cleared the ball off the goalline just before the break.

The woodwork was hit again by Rutter after the restart, but just before the hour mark Santus made it 2-0 with an accurate shot from 15 yards.

On 76 minutes, Melvyn Morrison shot from the left and Campbell could only parry, allowing Blake to thump a strike through a ruck of players.

The former Crewe Alex trainee grabbed his second on 89 minutes, after cracking home the rebound when Melvyn Daniels saw his shot saved.

The visitors grabbed a consolation on 90 minutes. Reade saved Graham Vaughan's penalty, but the assistant referee ruled that

he moved early and the striker made no mistake with his second attempt. nFormer Nantwich Town winger Simon Hackney has been snapped up by Conference side Carlisle United

for a nominal fee from Woodley Sports. nNantwich Town Reserves had a 3-0 success at Curzon Ashton Reserves. They entertain Maine Road Reserves on Saturday.